Thursday 24 November 2011 18.11 EST
First published on Thursday 24 November 2011 18.11 EST

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that 72 Harrier jump-jets scrapped last year are being sold for spares to the US Marine Corps for £110m in what the defence minister Peter Luff described as "a good deal for both countries". Scrapping the Harriers is expected to release £900m between now and 2018, which will be spent on RAF Tornado and Typhoon jets, and the US Joint Strike Fighter, whose cost is rising rapidly, the MoD said. Two Harrier aircraft will also be offered to museums in order "to preserve the Royal Navy's military heritage", it added.